Citation

Tarescavage AM, Azizian A, Broderick C, English P. Psychol. Assess. 2019; 31(5): 707-713.

Affiliation

Department of Criminology, California State University, Fresno.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, American Psychological Association)

DOI

10.1037/pas0000682

PMID

30570282

Abstract

Sexually violent predator (SVP) laws allow the postprison civil commitment of sex offenders to a secure psychiatric hospital because of mental abnormality and posing a serious risk to public safety. Research on predictors of future institutional violence in this population is lacking because adequately sized samples are difficult to obtain. In the current study, we examined psychological predictors of future institutional violence in a sample of 171 psychiatrically hospitalized males detained or civilly committed under an SVP laws. Using the Minnesota Multiphasic-Personality Inventory-2-Restructured Form (Ben-Porath & Tellegen, 2008/2011), we found that scales assessing thought dysfunction, emotional dysregulation, and externalizing behaviors were associated with future physical violence at the hospital. Relative risk ratio analyses indicated that SVPs producing elevations on these scales were at 1.5-2.5 times greater risk of future physical violence than those without elevations. Overall, the results suggest the Minnesota Multiphasic-Personality Inventory-2-Restructured Form is associated with future institutional violence among SVPs. Implications and limitations of these findings are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Language: en